Career Profile:

Background

Sharon is 23 years old and was born in Kerrville, Texas. Her
favorite movie is It's a Wonderful Life and she loves to dance.
Sharon's most satisfying personal accomplishment: "I taught K-2 students
at Allison Elementary School here in Austin, Texas through an AmeriCorps
for Math and Literacy Program."

"I'm a Graduate Student in Computational and Applied Mathematics.
I research shallow water equations. These equations are important in
modeling bays and estuaries. I look for mathematics motivated by
application and the application is what keeps me going!

"A lot of my mentors have been professors. They've given me
direction and helped fill in the blanks in areas where I was not
knowledgeable....like applying to graduate school and applying for
fellowships and scholarships."

What career advice would you give young women?

"Do what
you love and don't let anyone discourage you from that!"

What can girls do now to prepare themselves for successful
careers?

"The greatest challenge is narrowing down
what I want to learn. A typical "workday" includes going to class and
working on my research. I like the collaborative environment my program
offers and the academic challenges that it presents."